The Premier League Golden Boot is an annual football award bestowed to the leading goalscorer in the Premier League.

Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, there have been 26 different players to win the Premier League Golden Boot in the last three decades.

Teddy Sheringham won the inaugural Premier League Golden Boot in 1993. Playing for Tottenham Hotspur, the former England forward netted 22 goals in 41 games to bag the prestigious award.

Later in 1994, Newcastle United’s Andy Cole won the Premier League Golden Boot after he scored 34 goals in 40 games that season.

Alan Shearer then became the first player to win the award in three consecutive seasons. He claimed the Premier League Golden Boot in 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.

In 1999, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke were the first non-English and non-European winners, respectively, when they shared the award with Michael Owen.

Legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has the most Premier League Golden Boot awards. He won the award on four occasions in 2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Thierry Henry also became the second player after Alan Shearer to win the award in three successive seasons.

Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scripted history as he scored the most goals to win the Premier League Golden Boot.

In the 2022-23 season, Erling Haaland won the award after he scored 36 goals in just 35 matches. Haaland once again bagged the award in the 2023-24 season with 27 goals in 31 games.

Former Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka netted the fewest goals to bag the Golden Boot outright with 19 goals in 2008-09.

However, the all-time record for lowest number of goals scored to be presented the award is 18 goals, which was achieved during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin and Michael Owen shared the award with 18 goals in 1998, while the same thing was repeated by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Dwight Yorke and Michael Owen in 1999.

Get Premier League Golden Boot winners list.

Premier League Golden Boot winners list

Season	Player	Club	Goals
1992-93	Teddy Sheringham	Tottenham Hotspur	22
1993-94	Andy Cole	Newcastle United	34
1994-95	Alan Shearer	Blackburn Rovers	34
1995-96	Alan Shearer	Blackburn Rovers	31
1996-97	Alan Shearer	Newcastle United	25
1997-98	Chris Sutton	Blackburn Rovers	18
	Dion Dublin	Coventry City	18
	Michael Owen	Liverpool	18
1998-99	Michael Owen	Liverpool	18
	Dwight Yorke	Manchester United	18
	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	Leeds United	18
1999-2000	Kevin Phillips	Sunderland	30
2000-01	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	Chelsea	23
2001-02	Thierry Henry	Arsenal	24
2002-03	Ruud van Nistelrooy	Manchester United	25
2003-04	Thierry Henry	Arsenal	30
2004-05	Thierry Henry	Arsenal	25
2005-06	Thierry Henry	Arsenal	27
2006-07	Didier Drogba	Chelsea	20
2007-08	Cristiano Ronaldo	Manchester United	31
2008-09	Nicolas Anelka	Chelsea	19
2009-10	Didier Drogba	Chelsea	29
2010-11	Carlos Tevez	Manchester City	20
	Dimitar Berbatov	Manchester United	20
2011-12	Robin van Persie	Arsenal	30
2012-13	Robin van Persie	Manchester United	26
2013-14	Luis Suárez	Liverpool	31
2014-15	Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	26
2015-16	Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	25
2016-17	Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	29
2017-18	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	32
2018-19	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
	Sadio Mané	Liverpool	22
	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	22
2019-20	Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	23
2020-21	Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	23
2021-22	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	23
	Son Heung-min	Tottenham Hotspur	23
2022-23	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	36
2023-24	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	27

Most Premier League Golden Boot won by a player

Awards	Player	Seasons
4	Thierry Henry	2001�?2, 2003�?4, 2004�?5, 2005�?6
3	Harry Kane	2015�?6, 2016�?7, 2020�?1
3	Mohamed Salah	2017�?8, 2018�?9, 2021�?2
3	Alan Shearer	1994�?5, 1995�?6, 1996�?7
2	Erling Haaland	2022-23, 2023-24
2	Didier Drogba	2006�?7, 2009�?0
2	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	1998�?9, 2000�?1
2	Michael Owen	1997�?8, 1998�?9
2	Robin van Persie	2011�?2, 2012�?3

Photo credit: Alamy

European football’s powerhouses Real Madrid and Liverpool are two of the most successful clubs in world football.

A dominant force in England, Liverpool is the second-most successful English team with 19 league titles, eight FA Cups, a record nine League Cups, and six Champions League titles, which makes them the most successful team from England in Europe. 

Real Madrid, on the other hand, is the most successful team in Spain with a record 35 La Liga titles. They also boast 19 Copa del Rey titles and 14 Champions League titles - the most by any team in world football. 

Two of Real Madrid’s Champions League triumphs came after beating Liverpool in the final of the competition in 2017-18 and 2021-22.

Over the years, Los Blancos squared off against the Blagurana several times in Europe’s premier competition having first played against each other in the 1981 European Cup final which Liverpool won. The Merseyside club, in fact, won the first three encounters between these teams.

Here’s a look at how both these teams have fared against each other in Europe.

Real Madrid vs Liverpool head-to-head, stats and records

Competition	Matches	Real Madrid won	Liverpool won	Draw
European Cup	1	0	1	0
UEFA Champions League	9	6	2	1
Overall	10	6	3	1

Real Madrid vs Liverpool - head-to-head record in all competitions 

Real Madrid has squared off against Liverpool on 10 occasions with Los Blancos winning six times and the Merseyside club emerging triumphant Thrice. One game between these two sides ended in a draw.

Real Madrid vs Liverpool - head-to-head record in UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid has met Liverpool 10 times in the UEFA Champions League or European Cup as it was known earlier. Liverpool managed to win the first three encounters between these teams, including the 1981 European Cup final.

However, it has been all Real Madrid after the first three matches between the sides as Los Blancos have gone on to win six of the seven subsequent games featuring these Europen heavyweights. The best Liverpool has managed in recent years is a draw and they have also suffered heartbreak in two Champions League finals as mentioned above thanks to Real.

What is the biggest win in Real Madrid vs Liverpool?

The biggest win in matches featuring Real Madrid and Liverpool is the Reds�?4-0 victory against Los Blancos in a UEFA Champions League knockout stage game at Anfield in 2009.

Most goals in Real Madrid vs Liverpool?

French striker Karim Benzema has scored more goals than any other player in the Real Madrid versus Liverpool games. Benzema has found the back of the net six times against the 19-time English champions. For Liverpool, club legend Steven Gerrard and Mohamed Salah have both scored twice against Real, which is the most any Merseyside player has managed against Los Blancos.

 

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah completed the fastest hat-trick in UEFA Champions League in 2022.

Playing for Liverpool, Salah netted the fastest UCL treble in just six minutes against Rangers FC during a Group A encounter in the 2022-23 season. 

The Liverpool superstar came in as a substitute in the 68th minute and ended the match with a hat-trick to help Liverpool secure a massive 7-1 over Rangers FC in the group stage encounter of the 2022�?3 UEFA Champions League. 

Salah scored in 76th, 80th and 81st minute of the match to etch his name into the UEFA Champions League history books, rounding off an incredible victory for Liverpool.

 

Former France striker Bafetimbi Gomis scored the second-fastest hat-trick in UEFA Champions League history. Gomis netted a hat-trick for Lyon in just eight minutes during a 7-1 drubbing of Dinamo Zagreb in a Group D encounter of the 2011-12 season. 

Former Blackburn Rovers striker Mike Newell scored the third-fastest hat-trick in UEFA Champions League history. The Liverpool-born footballer netted a perfect hat-trick - left foot, right root and header - for Blackburn in just nine minutes during a 4-1 win over Rosenborg in 1995. It is still the quickest perfect hat trick scored in Europe’s biggest club competition.

Former Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling is fourth on the list for fastest UCL trebles having netted thrice in 11 minutes during a 5-1 win against Atalanta in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski complete the list for fastest hat-tricks in UEFA Champions League.

While Ronaldo scored an 11-minute hat-trick for Real in an 8-0 annihilation of Malmo in 2015, former Bayern star Lewandowski bagged a hat-trick in 11 minutes in a 7-1 thrashing of FC Salzburg during the second leg of a Champions League 2021-22 round of 16 clash.

Fastest hat-trick in UEFA Champions League

Player	Time
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)	6 minutes
Bafetimbi Gomis (Lyon)	8 minutes
Mike Newell (Blackburn)	9 minutes
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)	11 minutes
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)	11 minutes
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)	11 minutes

 

Featured photo: AFP/ALBERTO PIZZOLI /PHILIPPE DESMAZES 

The Egypt national football team named their 22-man squad for Tokyo Olympics on Friday with star forward Mohamed Salah the biggest absentee.

Salah’s parent club Liverpool refused to let him participate in the tournament in Japan as the dates clashed with the Premier League team’s pre-season schedule.

The 29-year-old Salah was expected to be one of the three over-age players allowed to be included in Egypt’s squad for the under-23 tournament at Tokyo 2020. Mohamed El-Shennawy, former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazy and Mahmoud Hamdy filled the three slots for the over-age players.

Mohamed Salah, a two-time African Footballer of the Year, last represented Egypt at the Summer Olympics at London 2012. The former Chelsea and AS Roma attacker scored in every group stage fixture -- three goals in all -- before drawing blank in the knockouts where Egypt lost to Japan.

Another prominent name to miss out on Shawky Gharib’s Egypt football squad for the Tokyo Olympics is Mostafa Mohamed.

On loan at Galatasaray from Egyptian club Zamalek, the striker was blocked from national duty as the Turkish giants are set to participate in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. The 23-year-old Mostafa, who has nine goals in 17 appearances, is expected to play a decisive role for Galatasaray.

The Pharaohs, who qualified for the Olympics�?football event after winning the under-23 AFCON championship in 2019, have been drawn with two-time champions Argentina, 1992 winners Spain and Australia in Group C.

The football tournament at Tokyo 2020 is set to begin from July 21 till August 7.

Egypt football squad for Tokyo Olympics

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mohamed Sobhi, Mahmoud Gad

Defenders: Ahmed Aboul Fotouh, Karim Fouad, Ahmed Hegazy, Mahmoud Hamdy, Mohamed Abdel Salam, Ahmed Ramadan, Osama Jalal, Karim Al Iraqi

Midfielders: Akram Tawfik, Ammar Hamdi, Imam Ashour, Nasser Maher, Ramadan Sobhi, Ibrahim Adel, Abdel Rahman Magdy, Taher Mohamed 

Forwards: Ahmed Yasser Rayan, Salah Mohsen, Nasser Mansi

Featured photo: Twitter / African Cup of Nations

Egypt national football team forward Mohamed Salah is set to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after his Premier League club Liverpool FC refused to release him.

“I do not want to say that it is impossible for Salah to participate in the Olympics, but it is difficult. Salah agreed to lead the Olympic team during the last camp of the Egyptian team. We contacted Liverpool to allow Salah to join the Olympic team, and they said they were waiting for the approval of the technical staff,�?Egyptian FA president Ahmed Megahed said in an interview with broadcaster ON Time sports.

“But, in the end, Liverpool refused the request because they do not want to lose the player at the beginning of the season, as well as next January with the Africa Cup of Nations, which will keep him from participating in the English Premier League matches.

“We spoke with Salah again, and he told us that he will make a new attempt with the technical staff of his team, to resolve the matter, and within the next two days he will find a way,�?Megahed added.

The former Chelsea and Roma attacker was hoping to be selected as one of the three over-age players in Egypt’s under-23 football squad for the Tokyo Games.

However, the Summer Olympics is scheduled to start on July 22 and run until August 7, which means that it will clash with Liverpool’s pre-season preparations. Furthermore, Salah is already set to miss a part of the 2021-22 season for the Reds due to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Two other Liverpool players Takumi Minamino and Ibrahima Konate are also unlikely to participate at Tokyo Olympics. While 26-year-old Minamino has not been selected in Japan's football squad for the Games, France international Konate has been denied permission by Liverpool to participate at the Summer Olympics.

Liverpool will kick-off their 2021-22 Premier League campaign against newly-promoted Norwich City on August 14.

Featured photo: CARL RECINE / POOL / AFP

After Lazio striker Ciro Immobile took the European Golden Shoe in the 2019-20 season, Bayern Munich frontman Robert Lewandowski took the accolade this year after scoring 41 goals in the 2020-21 Bundesliga season.

The Poland international was simply untouchable this season, and his figure of 41 goals took him past Gerd Muller's previous Bundesliga season record of 40 goals. The 32-year-old achieved it in Bayern’s last league game; a 5-2 win over Augsburg.

With that in mind, here we look at players with the most goals scored in a single season across Europe’s top leagues:

Most goals in a Premier League season - Mohamed Salah (32 goals) 2017/18

Try not to get confused. Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer did score 34 goals in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 Premier League seasons, respectively, but that was when the league had 42 games in a campaign. On the other hand, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah holds the record for most goals in a 38-match Premier League season when he scored 32 goals in the 2017/18 season. 

The Egyptian broke the record of 31 goals previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, 2007/08), Luis Suarez (Liverpool, 2013/14), and Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers, 1995/1996).

Most goals in a La Liga season - Lionel Messi (50 goals) 2011/12

The 2011-12 season was arguably the best season for Lionel Messi on the personal front. Although Barcelona missed out on the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League, the Argentine scored a whopping 73 goals that season, with 50 of them coming in the Spanish top-flight itself. It is a record yet to be touched. His rival Cristiano Ronaldo came close in the same year, but he ended with 46 goals.

Most goals in a Serie A season - Gonzalo Higuain in and Ciro Immobile (36 goals) in 2019/20

Ciro Immobile’s tally of 36 goals in the 2019/20 Serie A season equalled the figures of former Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentinian striker had scored 36 goals in the 2015/16 Serie A season. As for Immobile, 14 of his 36 goals came from the penalty spot as Lazio finished within the Champions League spots. It was also the third time that Immobile had ended up being the top scorer in a Serie A season after 2013-2014 (22 goals) with Torino, and in 2017-2018 (29) with Lazio.

Most goals in a Ligue 1 season - Josip Skoblar (44 goals) 1970/71

The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar may have dominated Ligue 1 in recent times, but the pair are nowhere near the record of former Marseille forward Josip Skoblar. Between 1970-1973, Skoblar dominated the goalscoring chart every single season, ending up as the top scorer. 

The former Croatian forward set the record for most goals scored in a Ligue 1 season in 1970-71, when he found the net 44 times in just 36 games. This accounted for 1.22 goals per game. The closest anybody came to match that figure was Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he scored 38 goals for Paris Saint-Germain in the 2015/16 season.

Featured photo: AFP / Sven Hoppe

English heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool will lock horns in the Premier League at the Old Trafford Stadium in the early hours of Friday.

This Manchester United vs Liverpool fixture was originally scheduled for last weekend but a protest by the United fans on the Old Trafford pitch forced the authorities to postpone it.

This comes in the wake of the European Super League controversy and the fans�?discontent about the ownership of Manchester United, which is currently with the Glazer family.

On Tuesday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men faltered in the match against Leicester City, officially putting an end to their title hopes as cross-town rivals Manchester City were crowned EPL champions.

The Red Devils will be aiming to put aside their loss and end the hectic three-game week with a win over Jurgen Klopp’s men.

While Man United are playing to finish second, Liverpool, on the other hand, are fighting for a UEFA Champions League berth and are currently placed at the sixth position.

Liverpool have regained form in the last month, being unbeaten in the last six league matches. However, it might be too little too late for the Reds as their race to the top four now depends on other teams dropping points in the coming weeks.

All in all, an exciting match is on the cards with the usual suspects Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firminho slated to have a big say in the box office event.

Where to watch Manchester United vs Liverpool live in India?

Watch Manchester United vs Liverpool telecast live on Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD TV channels in India. The match begins at 12:45 AM IST on Friday.

Live streaming of the Man Utd vs Liverpool in India will be on Disney+ Hotstar.

Featured photo: AFP / Martin Rickett

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino has often been described as a �?strong>Jurgen Klopp player�?for his versatility in front of the goal. Still, his turbulent performances have catapulted Liverpool’s faltering rate of goals. This has invited many suggestions for the reigning champions to opt for a future beyond the Brazilian.

The Merseysiders�?fell to their first defeat in four years at Anfield, and it was the fifth successive game where Firmino drew blank in front of the goal. The former Hoffenheim attacker has managed just five goals and three assists in the 2020/21 season, a far cry from his previous campaigns�?output.

With the Premier League title race heating up, and Liverpool in a race against time to strengthen their grip in their title defence, here are a few reasons why the Reds must take a bold step in finding a replacement for their number nine.

A landslide in minutes per goal ratio

Firmino, who signed for Liverpool in 2015, has registered 62 goals in 194 appearances at an average of 0.32 goals per match. While often a frontline attacker, the 29-year-old has plied his trade as a rotating forward which he now battles for, with Diego Jota. This development has reduced his chances of featuring for the first team while taking a toll on his confidence to score when given starts by manager Jurgen Klopp.

Analysis of Liverpool’s front 3! #MNF #PremierLeague

pic.twitter.com/sDt3ETkg31

�?Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) January 18, 2021

In the last four seasons, Roberto Firmino has seen his minutes per goal ratio take a rollercoaster route. The Brazilian’s most ambitious campaign in a Liverpool shirt came in 2017/18, where he scored 15 goals and clocked 185 minutes per goal. However, he has since failed to live up to those figures, scoring a goal every 333rd minute in the championship-winning campaign and currently has taken 297 minutes per goal. Judging by the standards with which Liverpool play, it is a far cry from a classic number nine standards.

A stumbling block in the front three

The front three of Liverpool -  Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane - may have dominated the scoring charts in the past few seasons. Still, at the same time, there have been plenty of drawbacks that have unsettled the trio’s relationship on the pitch.

20 - Roberto Firmino has scored his first @premierleague goal at Anfield in 20 appearances, ending a run of 1,591 minutes of play and 56 attempted shots without scoring at the ground since he netted against Tottenham in March 2019, 479 days ago. Relief. #LIVCHE pic.twitter.com/vq63ZEmUib

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 22, 2020

While Salah and Mane are either scoring or creating opportunities for Liverpool to score goals, Roberto Firmino has been a let down as he has lost the ability to be a creative link-up for his team-mates. The Brazilian’s pass per game ratio in 2018/19 (37.62) dropped to 30.55 in the 2019/20 season, thus indicating that Firmino is currently surplus to the fast-paced football that Liverpool has played in the last few seasons.

Firmino failing to lift the number nine curse

Number nine carries the scoring duties for a team in a competitive league as the Premier League. Liverpool have produced some of the greatest attacking players in the competition, but none have been as prolific as Fernando Torres.

The Reds have seen as many as four players take up the mantle of the number nine, and Roberto Firmino is the latest player to don the iconic number. But if one had to compare Firmino and Torres, one can safely say the former isn’t a full-fledged striker.

In his four seasons at Liverpool, Torres scored 65 goals in the Premier League with a goal per game ratio of 0.74, while Firmino’s record reads as 0.37 goals per game. The likes of Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch have been critical of the Brazilian’s performance levels. They have voiced their claims for the 19-time Premier League winners to find an immediate solution to lift the number nine curse.

A host of Liverpool fans and football pundits have recently stressed out how the Reds must prolong their current style of play if they are to challenge for trophies. The presence of Firmino has unsettled the balance in the playing XI, and while Jurgen Klopp has publicly defended the Brazilian’s faltering life at Anfield, the clock is ticking for the club to find a reliable replacement to fit their standards of attacking football.

Feature Image courtesy:  AFP / Peter Powell

Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw put in a brilliant defensive display against Liverpool on Sunday as he managed to keep Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane quiet, and dealt with the pressure extremely well for the entirety of the game at Anfield.

Shaw has been in excellent form this season, particularly since United brought Alex Telles from FC Porto. On Sunday, the England international not only looked stern in defence but also played his bit part in the attack, creating two goal-scoring chances during the game. Statistically, the left-back won 100% of his tackles, had 100% long pass accuracy, completed 81% of his total passes, made eight ball recoveries and made four clearances.

Luke Shaw's contribution for @ManUtd today
68 touches
Completed 33/41 passes
Won 8/12 duels
8x possession gained
2 chances created
Man Utd are the 1st away team to keep a PL clean sheet at Liverpool since Oct 2018 pic.twitter.com/UjroJOOPVu

�?Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) January 17, 2021

Reacting on his performance, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane heaped praises by saying, “The back four always worry me but they were brilliant,�?Keane told Sky Sports. “Shaw was brilliant defensively and going forward.�?/p>

Even Graeme Souness hailed Shaw for how well be dealt with Liverpool's attackers. 

“The front three today, for me, no sparkle, no real special moments for them," said Souness.

“Firmino didn't take part in the game a lot, Salah didn't skip past Shaw once, who was arguably the best I've seen anyone handle Salah.�?/p>

A draw for Manchester United means they still hold a three-point lead over Liverpool on the top of the table, but Manchester City's 4-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday now changes the complexion. They Cityzen now acquire the second spot in the tally with 35 points, two points behind United, and have a game in hand.

While the experts were bang-on with their analysis of the left-back, fans on Twitter heaped praise as well.

Luke Shaw is the only player today who can leave with his head held high. Unreal performance from him.

�?RiZzy (@RiZzyUTD) January 17, 2021

Luke Shaw is very underrated!

�?The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) January 17, 2021

Manchester United have secured a deal for Alex Telles from Porto.

Luke Shaw: pic.twitter.com/27fliwTnuZ

�?Brandon Edwards (@King_Edwards98) January 17, 2021

Luke Shaw vs Mo Salah and Sadio Mane tonight. pic.twitter.com/CQiFc2x4Wp

�? (Fan Account) (@EliteLabile) January 17, 2021

Luke Shaw fills me with confidence. I never thought I’d ever say this few months ago

�?RiZzy (@RiZzyUTD) January 17, 2021

Luke Shaw #mufc outstanding. Quick, alert, great concentration. Dealt well with Mo Salah, and looked to attack, going on a couple of driving runs towards the #lfc area. Surely back in #eng contention with form such as this. #LIVMUN

�?Henry Winter (@henrywinter) January 17, 2021

Thankful for Luke Shaw! Thankful for the Defence! @ManUtd ❤️

�?AG BABY (@adekunleGOLD) January 17, 2021

The draw is probably a better result for us than them and we're still top of the league. Thought Luke Shaw was excellent again �?

�?Gaynor Hammond (@HammondGaynor) January 17, 2021

If anyone mentions their deadass LB except Robertson in comparison to Luke Shaw, I'm gonna lose it.

�?�?(@FergieFormula) January 18, 2021

Very easy to forget the career threatening injuries Luke Shaw has had, nearly lost his leg two years ago..Today he was absolutely outstanding, best player on the pitch, great to see! Top of the league January, who would have thought

�?Steven Poacher (@Stevie_Poacher) January 17, 2021

Will say that Luke Shaw is back to pre injury player...looking an absolute class left sided defending player...

�?Dave Smith (@davidsmith1932) January 17, 2021

Luke Shaw was exceptional , very good performance. He’s turned his Manchester United career around so much ❤️

�?Isiah Memphis Madrigal (@Realisiah1) January 17, 2021

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

With the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League group stage completed, English Premier League will take over as the dominant footballing action for the remainder of the month. It kickstarts with the match week 12 on Saturday, December 12.

With PL games coming thick and fast, we bring to you some of the names who could be the standout performers in your fantasy team this weekend.

Player: Patrick Bamford

Match: Leeds United vs West Ham United

The ideal executioner of Marcelo Bielsa's masterplan, England's Patrick Bamford has been a revelation in the Premier League this season. Since his first goal at the Anfield, where Leeds United announced their arrival against defending champions Liverpool, Bamford has led Bielsa's three-pronged attack through the middle scoring eight goals in 11 matches. His hat-trick against Aston Villa exhibited the phenomenal talent that English football has at its disposal. After scoring blanks against Arsenal and Everton, Bamford was Leeds' sole goal-scorer in their loss to Chelsea last week. With a less competitive challenger in West Ham United up next, Bielsa would be hoping his striker can turn on the heat.

Player: Son Heung-min

Match: Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min is undoubtedly the most popular footballer in North London right now after his screamer against arch-rivals Arsenal. The 28-year-old South Korean has been Jose Mourinho's best player this season so far, partnering alongside England talisman Harry Kane up front - who have been their goal-scoring threat against their PL opponents. Son has tallied a whopping 10 goals in 11 PL encounters so far, with his four-goal cameo against Southampton the best so far. While a conservative Crystal Palace would pose a different challenge for Mourinho’s men, Son remains his best shot at unlocking their rivals defence. And given his current form, Son is a must for any fantasy manager.

Player: Mohamed Salah

Match: Fulham vs Liverpool

Unlike last season, where Mohamed Salah wasn't Liverpool's most potent threat, he has been at his usual best this time around. The Egyptian international has played 10 games for the Reds in the Premier League, scoring 10 goals and assisting twice. And the availability of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have hardly mattered for the right-winger who has been at his prolific best. Though Salah was one of the very few Liverpool regulars to feature in their midweek UEFA Champions League clash, where he leapfrogged Steven Gerrard as the club's highest UCL goal-scorer, he is expected to start against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Interestingly, an underperforming Fulham have conceded 21 goals in 16 PL matches this season and Salah will certainly fancy his chances to add to his goal-scoring tally.

Player: Kevin De Bruyne

Match: Manchester United vs Manchester City

If there has been a Manchester City player who is as important to Pep Guardiola, as Lionel Messi was to him in Barcelona, it is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgium international is the lynchpin at his favourite number 10 position for City, who orchestrates Guardiola's team like a well-oiled machine. After a slow start to the campaign, where De Bruyne didn't feature in the first few games, he is now back to his very best. Playing nine games for the Cityzens, De Bruyne has been directly involved in eight goals. City's next match is against arch-rivals Manchester United, who have just been dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. There will be no better time to go to Manchester derby and earn a legendary status for himself at Old Trafford.

Player: Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Match: Everton vs Chelsea

For Everton to become a giant slayer and a top-four contender, which they have shown the intent of early in the season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs to keep his magical form going. The English forward has come of age in the 2020-21 Premier League season with 11 goals to his name in as many games, becoming the perfect number 9 any manager could wish for. With James Rodriguez and Richarlison flanking him, Calvert-Lewin has no dearth of deliveries inside the box and the striker has been brimming with confidence this season. With goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, Calvert-Lewin will be confident about scoring against a star-studded Chelsea side at Merseyside on Saturday.